Loyalty
by riyun
Summary: "The smell of blood will stay for days. Not just in the lair, but on you."


Warnings: violence, swearing, bad grammar

Characters: Suiga, Fuuga, Noroi, Retsuga's mother (I named her Bunko), Retsuga, OC Ren, also Reima and Mukonga are mentioned

Spoilers: reveals some bits from GNG's wolf saga

The story is set in the times before Ginga Nagareboshi Gin's wolf saga. It's loosely based on the manga's story (Fuuga leaving Reima's empire and Noroi killing his wife) but I came up with some of my own stuff. Suiga is a bit ooc here, being more timid than in the manga, also Noroi appears to be a bit more cruel than normally. Also, the end of the story indicates Suiga becoming an outcast though there was no sign of that in the series.

* * *

LOYALTY

Just finishing my morning swim, I pulled myself out of the pond and shook my body to get rid of the spare water. As I started to make my way back to the empire's entrance, I was suddenly knocked down by something heavy crashing into me.

Looking up I saw a pair of pale eyes full of fear and despair. Fuuga. He was about to keep on running, but I caught him by his tail.

"Fuuga, what's wrong?"

"I-I can't do this anymore..! I have to leave, now!"

"What the hell are you talking about!?"

"For fuck's sake, it was just a child! A child, Suiga! A-and they just ripped it to pieces... It was crying so loud and there was blood everyw-"

"Whoah, slow down! Who ripped whom to pieces?"

"We did! We caught a human! Noroi told us to go to the village and.. oh god I can't believe what I've done... I-I can't do this anymore. I have to leave this place!"

He tried to yank himself off my hold, but my jaws stayed strong.

"Fuuga, you can't just leave! They'll send someone after you and you'll be dead meat. And what about Bunko and Retsuga?! You can't just leave them like this!"

"I know they'll be fine.. They have Reima's protection. You know he doesn't like killing his own pack members. And the other soldiers will protect them too. You'll protect them, won't you?"

"And what about Noroi?"

"What about me?"

Both Fuuga and I jumped at the sudden intrusion, recognizing the familiar voice all too well. I threw my head around to see Noroi and his almost blindingly white mane. He looked straight into my eyes and fear overtook my whole presence, making me back up a few steps. He switched his gaze to Fuuga, but the older wolf didn't even flinch and just kept staring back into those cold dark eyes.

"What are you two planning?"

"I'm leaveing the empire, Noroi."

The white wolf let out a moking laugh.

"What?! No you're not. You know what happens to traitors."

"I am not a traitor! I just... I can't keep on killing people and waiting for them to get back to us, to destroy us!"

"Oh Fuuga, you of all the wolves here should know that we and the humans just can't live side by side. The lead in your stomach should be a great reminder of that."

"That was a long time ago. That child we killed had nothing to with it."

"If we had waited for it to grow up, it would've been doing the same as the rest of them. Your son could've been the next one. Well, then again I don't think you give a flying fuck about your son anymore since you're so eager to leave him.."

"That's not true and you know it!"

"Whatever, you won't be seeing him again anyway. Even planning of leaving counts as a betrayal. And you know what happens to those who betray the holy empire.."

Suddenly five soldiers appeared behind Noroi's back. I recognized all of them. Five young ones I had helped to train just a few months back. I recognized Ren, the youngest of them, who had always been a great admirer of Fuuga's, always looking up to the older wolf with those bright eyes. Now those same eyes were filled with anger and hate.

"Kill that fucker and bring back his head."

I didn't even have time to register the words in my head when suddenly all six of them, Fuuga and Noroi's new soldiers, were out of my sight. I could only hear the soldiers' howls and barks as they kept chasing their prey.

"You want to leave too?"

My head snapped as I realized how close Noroi had gotten while my attention was elsewhere.

"N-n-no.. Of course not..."

I tried to keep myself from stuttering and my legs from shaking, but those piercing dark eyes made me feel like I was facing Death himself.

"Then what exactly were you planning with him..?"

"N-nothing! I just ran into him a-a-and then he started telling how h-he wanted to leave and I was trying to talk him to t-t-turn back but..."

Noroi let out a small laugh, warm but not sincere.

"Don't worry, Suiga. I trust you. After all, you were always the loyal one. Nothing like that stubborn idiot who's about to get his head cut off."

He turned his back to me and started walking back to the caves.

"Bring Bunko and Retsuga to me. I'll be waiting in Reima's lair."

I followed him to the underground kingdom and made my way to Fuuga's lair to get his wife and son. I was scared of what Noroi would do to them, but trusted that Reima would stop him if he went too far. I reached the lair's opening but hesitated for a while, not sure how I should address a lady older than myself.

"Umm.. excuse me... madam?"

Hearing my words, Bunko stepped out of the darkness. I had assumed she would know of Fuuga's escape... but her confused eyes told me otherwise.

"Yes?"

_You'll protect them, won't you?_

"Uhm... I'm Suiga... a friend of Fuuga's..."

I stayed silent for a few seconds, expecting her to say something. But she stood silent, that confused look still lingering in her eyes.

"I need to talk with you... It's about your husband..."

"Is he alright?"

Her voice seemed steady, but I could see the worry taking over her expression.

"I don't... I don't know. He left the empire. Just few minutes ago."

"...What do you mean he left the empire?"

"He's not coming back..."

Bunko's eyes widened and she sat on the ground, hunging her head low and taking short, almost panicked breaths.

"Well.. I mean... I don't think he wanted to leave you... He just said that he couldn't take this anymore and then Noroi came and Fuuga had to escape and I'm sure Fuuga wouldn't want to... he... I... I'm sorry, even I'm not sure what's going on..."

Suddenly a young puppy came to the lair's opening. Retsuga, too young to understand what was going on and even too young to walk properly, kept taking staggering steps with a careless look on his face. I looked at him, sadness filling my eyes.

_You'll protect them, won't you?_

"Anyway... Uh... Noroi asked me to bring you and Retsuga to Reima's lair..."

Bunko flinched hearing the maned wolf's name.

"B-but don't worry! I'm sure you'll be alright with Reima around. They'll probably just ask you some questions and..."

"Alright, let's go then."

The despair and frustration in her shaking voice almost made me cringe. She took a hold of the puppy's neck and waited for me to lead them to the leader.

* * *

Entering the leader's cave, I looked up to his usual spot only to see Noroi standing there. A hint of fear crawling inside me, I started turning my head hoping to see Reima somewhere.

_You'll protect them, won't you?_

"I knew I could trust you."

"Where's Reima?"

"Our beloved leader had to leave for Nagano to take care of some business so unfortunately he couldn't be present."

Noroi jumped down to our level and started taking slow steps towards us. I felt Bunko getting closer to my side, clearly shaking.

"Suiga..?"

"D-don't worry... You'll be fine..."

"I assume you told Bunko here just what her bastard of a husband did?"

We both stayed silent. Noroi turned his gaze to Retsuga whom Bunko was still holding in her teeth.

"You know, the future of a traitor's son isn't that bright in this world. Maybe it would be the best to end little Retsuga's suffering right here..."

Bunko let out a wince and took a few steps back.

"Noroi, don't you dare touch them! You know Reima doesn't allow women and puppies being hurt for nothing!"

"Oh but Reima doesn't have to know."

Suddenly Bunko was backed up against the lair's wall with Noroi right in front of her. I felt like the ground was grabbing my legs, stopping me from moving.

_You'll protect them, won't you?_

"Noroi, please don't hurt her!"

"Fuuga always told me how beautiful your eyes were when you were looking at him... I don't know about that, but they sure look beautiful filled with fear. I wonder what they'll look like emptied from all life..."

Bunko loosened her hold on Retsuga and let the puppy fall to the cave floor.

"Oh god please don't hurt Rets-"

Next thing I saw was a flash of red. I watched in horror as Bunko dropped to the ground, her stomach ripped open and the guts bursting onto the rocks along with a flow of blood. Eyes wide open, her body started twitching in a gruesome way. Her throat kept making gargling noises until suddenly she stopped moving and everything went silent. The nauseating stench of iron started to fill my nose.

"Truly beautiful."

Retsuga started a heartbreaking whining, crying for his mother as he paced in the pool of blood and intestines, trying to wake her up.

"Oh Suiga, can you imagine growing up as an orphan and knowing your father was a filthy traitor? We can't let that happen, can we?"

Noroi bent down and took Retsuga's head in his mouth, letting the rest of the puppy's body dangle in the air.

"I love puppies. It is so easy to end their miserable lives. Just a quick snap of jaws."

_You'll protect them, won't you?_

I woke up from the iron-smelling daze I had been in. I looked at Noroi, Retsuga in his mouth, and then back to the mess of fur and guts that used to be my friend's mate. The smell of iron got stronger and I suddenly felt my throat flexing. One last glance at the ripped spleen and all of my stomach's contents flew to the cave floor. Right after that my shaking legs gave up and I fell into my own vomit.

"Please... Don't harm him... He's just a pup-"

"He's the son of a filthy traitor."

"Please, Noroi... He won't even remember his father.. or mother... Please just let him go."

I slowly started to rise from the puddle of vomit, but my legs kept shaking violently.

"R-Reima will start asking questions when he notices that one of the future soldiers is missing..."

Noroi frowned. I could see his hold on the whining puppy's head getting stronger.

"I could just say Fuuga took them with him."

Even though I was still scared out of my senses, I managed to get up on all four legs again. Swallowing the vomit-tasting lump in my throat, I looked my teacher straight in the eyes.

"I know you're a good liar, Noroi... But he will know. The smell of blood will stay for days. Not just in the lair, but on you.."

"And you."

"... What do you mean?"

Suddenly Noroi let go of Retsuga and let the puppy fall to the hard ground.

"I'll let him live. On one condition."

I gulped again.

"You take the blame for Bunko's death."

My eyes went wider than they had ever been.

"... What?"

"You, my little Suiga, are going to take the blame for that bitch's death. I don't know, just say you had a fight or something and then you lost your temper. Luckily I got in the way just as you were about to attack poor little Retsuga here."

"I-I can't do that..!"

"Then the kid dies."

He stepped on the puppy's tiny tail with one of his paw, stopping him from moving further away. I wanted to drop to the floor once again.

_You'll protect them, won't you?_

"Reima won't exile one of Sirius' soldiers just for killing an useless woman. And hey, I can talk to him for you. I'm sure he won't be all that mad. He let Mukonga stay in the empire after he killed that one nosy puppy, right?"

"...They would all hate me... outcast me... all of the soldiers... Reima... and Retsuga..."

"So what? I'm sure you'll learn to live with the hate."

"I-I can't do it..."

"Well, it's your choice.."

Suddenly his jaws we're all around Retsuga's torso, teeth slowly pushing their way inside the soft skin. The puppy started yelping, trying desperately to get off his captor's hold as a tiny trickle of blood started falling to the ground.

"No! W-wait! ...I-I'll do it!"

Once again the puppy fell to the floor, this time gasping at a rapid speed, eyes rolling back in their sockets. Noroi's face held a satisfied smile as he turned around and started to leave the cave.

_You'll protect them, won't you?_

"I knew I could trust you, Suiga. You were always the loyal one."

* * *

This was my first fanfiction so please be gentle.. D:' Feedback would be very appreciated though!


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